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Ultimately Justice Directs Them

Craig Morgan Teicher

           1

The soldiers are coming.
The soldiers
                are coming to break America.
The soldiers are dispatched
from America
                 and they are landing
their boats on American shores.

           2

Why are the soldiers coming?
Not because they believe
                                in what
they were told
                     but because they believe
that ultimately justice directs them,
that ultimately
                 the right thing will happen.

          3

We say they are
the soldiers, but they are not:

they have chains and
                            moustaches
and hairstyles and daughters
and expressions on their faces

that their mothers remember
on the faces
              of the infants they were.

          4

They are coming to break
everything down
                       to basics: America

has become too frumpy
for its pants.
               Its health
care system cares not
                            for health.

          5

Its laws are more paper.

           6

Its schools are more paper.

          7

Its schools are brick and paper.

          8

The soldiers are yellow ribbon.

          9

America looks at itself
and sees
           itself, not America.

          10

Itself looks at itself
and calls
           what it sees America.

           11

America has begun
calling everything
                    America no matter what.

          12

Now more than ever.

          13

Operation America.
Operation With Extra Cheese.

Operation With Fries With That.
Operation No Child Left Behind.

Operation Enduring Cheesburger.
Operation Regurgitated Eagle.

Operation Prince of Freedom.
Operation All Night Long.

Operation Perhaps.
Operation No Really.

          14



          15

The soldiers are here.

          16

Operation Big Time Pause.

          17

Operation Please
                       And Thank You.

          18

Operation Paper.
Operation No More Stars.

          19

The Solders are wearing
yellow ribbons
                  in support
of the return
               of the regular guy.

          20

The soldiers are on TV
right outside
              the door.

          21

They are knocking—change
the channel.

          22

Operation America Go!
Operation Yes!

Operation OK, OK.
Operation Every Man
                          for himself
and best of luck
                   to the women and kids.

          23



          24

By part 24 it is
already done.



Craig Morgan Teicher

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